A House Divided

If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. Mark 3:24-25

It doesn’t take more than a few minutes of scrolling social media or watching the news to see that our country is severely divided.

I honestly fear for the future of the United States with the current divide.

And neither side is innocent.

Please hear me out: I almost never share political viewpoints. Why? Because I know no matter what I say, there’s a chance I will offend nearly 50% of the people. My highest goal is to share the love of Christ across all spectrums, and if I offend 50% of people, I have lost my influence with those people. I simply choose to not discuss politics because loving people is far more important.

However, I want to pause for just a minute and say a few words about the Charlie Kirk shooting.

Before I do, let me say unequivocally: murder is never acceptable. Republican or Democrat. Christian or non-Christian. Kind or unkind. Straight or LGBTQIA. American or immigrant. I condemn all killings.

This post is not about a political ideology. As I said, I do not stand on the side of Republicans or Democrats. I do not stand on either side but instead I stand as a Christian whose heart is broken over the murder and demonization and division. I love you no matter which side of the aisle you occupy.

Quite honestly, I didn’t even know who Charlie Kirk was–until yesterday. I work with a number of ladies from a younger demographic (I.e., the age of my children), and they were all glued to their phones. I had no idea this young activist even existed nor the influence he had on my children’s generation.

Over the last 24 hours, I’ve spent a little time learning about Kirk. A few things stand out to me:

He leaves a devastated family behind. Please keep his wife and young children in your prayers. They are going to need a whole lot of love and support in the days to come. No one should have to walk through the pain they are experiencing, although they probably knew it was a possibility because of the life they had chosen.

He stood by what he believed. I respect anyone who has strong convictions and stands for those without wavering. Whether it is the truth of the Bible, a love for family, or a political stance, stand by your convictions.

He used his platform for good. From what I’ve seen, Kirk was an upstanding individual. He truly had a desire to bring good to this country and this world.

But perhaps there’s one thing I wish our country, our world would take from Kirk.

He was willing to have civil discourse with those who saw the world differently. The United States was founded upon the ability to discuss ideas freely and openly, to hear the other side, to understand opposing viewpoints, and to reach decisions that create the greatest good for the largest number of people. Unfortunately, today’s political climate has destroyed civil discourse. We are more concerned with demonizing those who see through a different lens, who have a different opinion than we do. We are more concerned about winning than we are about finding the highest good for all people. We are more concerned about ensuring everyone hears our voice than we are about listening to others. We are more concerned about silencing our critics than about contemplating constructive criticism.

And my heart breaks for the division. For the country that was once the most powerful force in the world.

Regardless of whether you hold to scripture as absolute truth, we need to take Mark 3:24-25 to heart. A nation divided against itself cannot stand for long. I fear for the United States–as we are no longer united in any sense of the word.

Friends, as we move forward, I ask you to do the following.

Pray. Pray for the families of all victims of senseless violence, political or not. Pray for the family of Iryna Zarutska, the Ukrainian refugee stabbed to death. Pray for the family of Charlie Kirk. Pray for the family of Melissa Hortman. Pray for the families of the children killed in senseless tragedies. Pray for the Minco, Oklahoma, softball team and their families.

And pray for the leaders of our churches, our states, our country. Pray for our country to be united again. Pray for the Church of Jesus Christ to be united as a force for good. Pray for our country to humble themselves and pray and turn from their wicked way so we might be healed (2 Chronicles 7:14).

Reach out. Find someone who thinks differently than you do, and reach out. Find ways to bridge the divide. Listen to why they think the way they do. Consider they’ve lived a different life and their experiences have shaped their thinking. Love in spite of the differences.

Be a force for good. God placed us each here for a purpose, and that purpose is to point the world to Him through our love for one another. How can you be a beacon of light and love in your community? I encourage you to find a way to be the light.

 

“The Lord bless you
    and keep you;
the Lord make his face shine on you
    and be gracious to you;
the Lord turn his face toward you
    and give you peace.”’  Numbers 6:24-26